The leader of Labour MEPs has defended himself over a pattern of approving tweets that minimised Labour's antisemitism crisis - only to lash out at the campaigner who accused him. "[You] leap to conclusions on the basis of totally incorrect assumption" MEP Richard Corbett said of the man who tweets as @NudderingNudnik, accusing him of trying "to find fault wherever he can with Jeremy Corbyn in particular and other Labour members from time to time. "His target is not fighting antisemitism, but discrediting the Labour Party, and doing so not by rational argument, but by deliberate distortion." Nudnik noted that Mr Corbett had liked tweets including one that attacked a Jewish woman who was interviewed for BBC Panorama's expose of antisemitism, a tweet attacking the Tories by the editor of pro-Corbyn website the Canary and another tweet by Scott Nelson, the Labour activist expelled after he tweeted about companies having "Jewish blood". "He tried to hush me up," Nudnik replied after Mr Corbett attacked him. "If folk like me didn't keep drawing attention to it, there wouldn't be a problem anymore would there?" He wrote that Mr Corbett was one of two people, along with journalist Owen Jones, to "respond to measured & evidenced concern about racism by writing a blog piece attacking the victim of said racism (me)."

This is what embassies do. It is their job. If there are horror stories about Brexit going around, for instance, the UK embassy in Rome may invite half a dozen journalists to lunch to give them further and more accurate information. Any embassy is in place to further the views of the government it represents.

So evidence is presented that substantiates Willsman's claim and no one has the integrity to acknowledge it.
Seems a few are perfectly happy for UK MP's, representatives of their constituents NOT Israel, to spread Embassy sourced propaganda to undermine the position of their party regarding said 'bad news"(pick an issue, more settlements, another four thousand adults/kids crippled by IDF snipers-blame the victims.......) and see their colleagues smeared with claims of anti-semitism for exposing the influence..
So its dismissed as Realpolitik when they are doing it and labelled anti-semitism when someone complains about it.

The what is this. Peter Willsman was accused of anti semitism precisely for suggesting links between certain groups inside Labour and the Israeli embassy.

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Willsman blamed claims of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party on “Trump fanatics” within the Jewish community and claimed never to have seen any anti-Semitism within the party despite being on the Disputes Committee. Even Momentum has called on Labour members to call out those who deny the party has an antisemitism problem.

Willsman blamed claims of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party on “Trump fanatics” within the Jewish community and claimed never to have seen any anti-Semitism within the party despite being on the Disputes Committee. Even Momentum has called on Labour members to call out those who deny the party has an antisemitism problem.

Not dismissed, and way to miss the point. UK, Israel and most other countries do similar. This is literally elementary stuff!

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Really so can you show me the corresponding groups of say Friends of Russia in US Congress or maybe Friends of Myanmar in the Indian parliament or maybe Friends of UK in the Argentine parliament who are primed with embassy propaganda to counter 'bad news'...lets not forget the utter disgust pro Botha's South Africa groups/members are now held

Only when it's anti-Semitic.

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So all accusations are copper bottomed accurate undeniable and true 100%.

He is downplaying the problem by denying that Labour has an internal problem and suggesting that the cause of it lies somewhere else. Billy Bragg said: “You can’t deal with a problem if you don’t believe it exists. Pete Willsman has sat through a Labour disputes meeting at which the majority of cases pertained to antisemitism. How can he claim to have never seen evidence of it? He should stand down now.”

He is downplaying the problem by denying that Labour has an internal problem and suggesting that the cause of it lies somewhere else. Billy Bragg said: “You can’t deal with a problem if you don’t believe it exists. Pete Willsman has sat through a Labour disputes meeting at which the majority of cases pertained to antisemitism. How can he claim to have never seen evidence of it? He should stand down now.”

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But in your quote, he's not claiming he's seen nothing and he's not downplaying AS. He's saying that some of the antisemitism as directed at Jeremy Corby may have something to do with the Israeli Embassy. He's identified two separate issues, AS in the Labour Party and attacks on Corbyn. Because he is talking about the latter doesn't mean he is denying the former

But in your quote, he's not claiming he's seen nothing and he's not downplaying AS. He's saying that some of the antisemitism as directed at Jeremy Corby may have something to do with the Israeli Embassy. He's identified two separate issues, AS in the Labour Party and attacks on Corbyn. Because he is talking about the latter doesn't mean he is denying the former

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You say that he is not downplaying anti-semitism, the video below says different.

He says on the recording: "We should ask the 70 rabbis ‘where is your evidence of severe and widespread antisemitism in this Party?’”

Mr Willsman then demands those at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting raise their hands if they have “seen” antisemitism in Labour and then suggested he was “amazed” that some said they had.

Asking for /demanding evidence to substantiate (quite a claim) that jew hate is severe and widespread in the Labour Party is anti-Semitic?
'Demanding"( how do you demand a show of hands?)people who've seen AS to raise their hands is anti-Semitic?
He isn't downplaying anything, he's challenging the accusation it is severe and widespread and as any normal person let alone a lifetime campaigner against all forms of racism, would, asks to see the evidence.
We read upthread the big guns letter from Hodge et al with three, one would assume, of the most egregious and incontrovertible examples-only one of which(the cartoon) clearly breaches the IHRA guidelines, which raises the question wether they actually fully understand them.

Really so can you show me the corresponding groups of say Friends of Russia in US Congress or maybe Friends of Myanmar in the Indian parliament or maybe Friends of UK in the Argentine parliament who are primed with embassy propaganda to counter 'bad news'...lets not forget the utter disgust pro Botha's South Africa groups/members are now held

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You appear overwrought.

So all accusations are copper bottomed accurate undeniable and true 100%.

He says on the recording: "We should ask the 70 rabbis ‘where is your evidence of severe and widespread antisemitism in this Party?’”

Mr Willsman then demands those at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting raise their hands if they have “seen” antisemitism in Labour and then suggested he was “amazed” that some said they had.

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Asking for evidence that AS widespread and institutional is not antisemitic and it is not the same as denying AS. I seem to remember it was your good self who some time ago said that just one case of AS in the LP was one case too many. It’s quite possible to agree with that whole heartedly and be passionate about fighting prejudice wherever it raises it’s ugly head, and also ask for evidence to support the allegation that AS is widespread and institutional.

If AS is widespread and institutional why is it that it’s only Groups with an agenda against Corbyn that notice it? Why don’t groups not hostile to Corbyn notice it too?

And if it is widespread and institutional, where is the evidence? Why can the BDBJ only name 2 cases, and both of those, on evidence that is at best questionable.

Does AS exist in the LP? I’m sure it does and it should be dealt with rigorously regardless of the fact that bigotry is more prevalent in other parties.

Is it widespread and institutional? I don’t know but I want to see some evidence before I agree it is. And good evidence that stands up to scrutiny (as opposed to endless articles just reasserting the allegations) is in short supply.

Vindictive opposition to the state of Israel has long pedigree in the Labour Party, at least since Ernest Bevin opposed holocaust survivors returning there. Jews fought him, and the British, and will continue to fight for Israel. Israel will survive, and will do whatever it takes to survive.

If AS is widespread and institutional why is it that it’s only Groups with an agenda against Corbyn that notice it? Why don’t groups not hostile to Corbyn notice it too?

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Possibly you've missed the news:

Jeremy Corbyn has apologised for the “hurt” caused to Jewish people in Labour as his party published education materials to help members and supporters understand anti-Semitism.
The leader of the Opposition admitted the party has a “real problem” with anti-Jewish racism, and said it had been too slow in processing disciplinary cases.

Asking for evidence that AS widespread and institutional is not antisemitic and it is not the same as denying AS. I seem to remember it was your good self who some time ago said that just one case of AS in the LP was one case too many. It’s quite possible to agree with that whole heartedly and be passionate about fighting prejudice wherever it raises it’s ugly head, and also ask for evidence to support the allegation that AS is widespread and institutional.

If AS is widespread and institutional why is it that it’s only Groups with an agenda against Corbyn that notice it? Why don’t groups not hostile to Corbyn notice it too?

And if it is widespread and institutional, where is the evidence? Why can the BDBJ only name 2 cases, and both of those, on evidence that is at best questionable.

Does AS exist in the LP? I’m sure it does and it should be dealt with rigorously regardless of the fact that bigotry is more prevalent in other parties.

Is it widespread and institutional? I don’t know but I want to see some evidence before I agree it is. And good evidence that stands up to scrutiny (as opposed to endless articles just reasserting the allegations) is in short supply.

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Labour has investigated 673 alleged cases and expelled 12 party members in 9 months, so unless you want to say they are maliciously guided 76 a month looks pretty widespread to most people. Then there is the leadership who have all agreed there is a significant problem to be tackled. The leader of Momentum (hardly a group opposed to Corbyn) has said the problem is widespread. And don't forget the Equalities Commission has found sufficient evidence to set up an investigation.

As for Willsman said he was “sorry” and “deeply regretted” his behaviour. He added: “Having sat on the NEC for many years, I am of course aware of appalling instances of anti-Semitism within our party, and am wholly determined to rooting it out of our movement.

In the video below he not asking for evidence, he is haranguing the Rabbis and then goes on to ask for examples of what he has clearly seen before ie instances of anti-Semitism within the party which is clearly dishonest to say the least.